I attended all three services today, and I am feeling it, Father. I am grateful for Jonah’s assistance. Please continue to bless his work. Be with us as we look toward what this next week will bring. Amen.
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This particular spring, we seem to have had an abundance of daffodils everywhere along my route. Seeing them reminded me of a post I made five years ago. I came across it this evening and felt compelled to share it once more.
Shortly after my elementary route began this morning, I crossed a small bridge on a county road. Under the bridge was a small stream, and all around this particular area was hilly, wooded terrain. There were absolutely no signs that anyone had ever lived in this spot or would ever choose to. But…as I crossed the bridge, and from the height advantage of my bus, I spotted a small cluster of blooming daffodils in all their splendor! There they sat gloriously amongst the decaying leaves, fallen branches, and mud from all the rain we have had – beauty in the rough!
I have a child on my route who has been, to say the least, a handful. So much so that for her own safety, she has been placed in a harness. Each morning, I have to buckle her in, which takes a bit of time. She is little but fierce! And in all truth, her upbringing has significantly contributed to this. But in the midst of it all, she has been sweetly compliant. I find myself not calling her by name but instead “Hun” or “Dear.” Indeed, she is a beauty in the rough.
Many of us have people in our lives who make life difficult. They don’t cooperate. They fuss. They whine. They cry. And they may even throw an occasional temper tantrum. Whether they are family, coworkers, or total strangers, we can’t just write them off as not worth the effort.
If there is anything that we can learn from Jesus’ time here on earth – and really the way God feels about every single one of us, all the time – is that people are always worth the effort! He invested the totality of His love in redeeming us – no matter how unworthy we are. And just as He did for us, we must strive to seek out and redeem beauty in the rough.
But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 AMP
(Apr 8th, 2019, Mon, 9:48 am)
Apr 7th, 2024, Sun, 8:27 pm
